Nevada retailers brace for a value-driven holiday season as state gas prices and unemployment outpace national figures

What happened

Nevada retailers are preparing for a holiday season in which shoppers are expected to look hard for value, the Las Vegas Sun reported in a Spanish-language story. National forecasts point to higher spending, but Nevada's main retail trade group says local conditions differ from the national picture.

The Sun spoke with a Nevada-themed clothing brand that has a store in Henderson, a UNLV marketing professor and the president of the Retail Association of Nevada. Together they described a season of strong sales hopes balanced against rising costs and careful consumers.

What national forecasts show

Spending expected to rise

According to the Sun, the National Retail Federation forecast in October that November and December holiday sales would grow more than 4% over 2025, with total consumer spending topping a trillion dollars. Deloitte's holiday report projected a 4% year-over-year increase in average spending per household.

Shoppers say the economy shapes their plans

The NRF also found that 56% of holiday shoppers say economic conditions will affect their spending, whether by hunting for deals, comparing prices online or using coupons. Bank of America's holiday spending survey found 87% of respondents expect their spending to stay flat or drop, while only 12% plan to spend more, the Sun reported.

Experiences paired with gifts

Deloitte found that half of shoppers plan to give an experience this year, up from 47% in 2025, and nearly 80% of them plan to pair it with a physical item. UNLV marketing professor Marla Royne Stafford told the Sun that combining an experience with a small gift, such as an outfit for a trip or supplies for an art class, has grown more popular since the pandemic.

How Nevada differs

Retail Association of Nevada President Bryan Wachter told the Sun the group agrees with the NRF data and is cautiously optimistic nationally. He said Nevada stands apart on measures such as unemployment, gas prices and wage growth.

The Sun reported that the Bureau of Labor Statistics put Nevada's unemployment rate at 4.7% in September, compared with 4.2% nationally. As of Oct. 29, regular gas in Nevada averaged $5.25, about a dollar above the national average, according to AAA.

Wachter said accurate forecasts give retailers time to plan for consumer health, staffing and pricing. He told the Sun that the holiday season is often when many members move from losses into profit. Families and small shops elsewhere in the valley have described similar pressures in coverage of holiday costs in East Las Vegas.

What local businesses and experts say

A Nevada brand tests the market early

Reno-based Home Means Nevada, which has a store at the District at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson, uses Nevada Day in late October to gauge demand, founder and owner Scott Dunseath told the Sun. The company then applies what it learns to Black Friday and Small Business Saturday promotions sent through email and social media campaigns.

Dunseath said the brand shifts toward warmer items like long-sleeve shirts and hoodies before the holidays. He told the Sun retail gets harder each year as costs rise, but he pointed to the company's unique products, its 21-year reputation and its staff as reasons shoppers will seek it out.

Sales may not mean profits

Stafford told the Sun the season is sure to be busy, but some of the spending growth may reflect inflation and higher prices. If retailers cut costs and offer bigger discounts, she said, profits may not improve, and store traffic is not necessarily a sign of earnings.

She also said bargain hunters may set aside brand loyalty and try unfamiliar stores, giving businesses a chance to reach new customers. She expects online shopping to continue for convenience, though possibly at slightly lower levels, since some shoppers want to see and touch items in person.

What to watch next

• Black Friday and Small Business Saturday promotions, which Home Means Nevada said it will use to apply lessons from Nevada Day sales.
• Whether November and December sales meet the NRF forecast of growth of more than 4% over 2025.
• Whether higher holiday sales translate into profits for retailers offering deeper discounts, a question Stafford raised to the Sun.